


The First Step is the Hardest

by twinsarein



Category: Smallville
Genre: Community: schmoop_bingo, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-06
Updated: 2010-09-06
Packaged: 2017-10-11 13:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/112860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twinsarein/pseuds/twinsarein
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clark decides to go for what he wants, at least, he takes the first step. Lex is more than happy to meet him halfway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First Step is the Hardest

  
Hey, Clark! I just wanted to come wish you a happy birthday before I left. It was a great party.”

Getting up off the couch where he’d been talking with Lex, Clark held out his hand. “I’m glad you could make it, Carl. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

Shaking Clark’s hand, Carl nodded. “I will. See you Monday.”

Waving to Carl, Clark sat back down with Lex, a little closer than he had been before. It was strange being so close to his friend. Usually they were across a table or booth from each other, but at this point, they were only inches apart. Lex hand’t moved, but somehow Clark kept maneuvering closer. He didn’t think he was doing it deliberately, but he didn’t move away, either.

Clark could feel the warmth radiating from his friend, and it made Clark shiver. Which was an odd reaction to warmth, he thought. One he was getting used to when he was around Lex these days, though. He looked down at their knees, even closer together than the rest of them. Lex was drumming on his knee with long, elegant fingers.

Looking at those fingers made Clark feel too big, too gauche. They also made him feel as if his skin was too tight on his body. It was another reaction he was growing accustomed to, when in Lex’s company. His fingers twitched on his own knee, and he forced them to still. Another guest was coming over, and Clark stood up, relieved to have a distraction.

This departure seemed to be a signal to others, and Clark stood there as several friends and acquaintances came over to say goodbye, one right after another. It kind of made him feel like a one person receiving line. Luckily, many others just waved on their way out the door.

His parents had left ages ago, making him squirm in embarrassed pleasure with their compliments and comments about how proud they were to call him son, at the man he’d become, and they were so glad he was in their lives. He’d been happy that no one but Lex had been close enough to hear. Otherwise, Clark would never have heard the end of it in school.

Flopping back down on the couch, Clark took a deep breath, and was startled when his shoulder brushed against Lex’s. He’d managed to somehow sit down even closer to his friend than before. Again, he didn’t move away. Neither did Lex.

It felt right, sitting this close to his friend. Clark looked around The Talon, but all the guests were now gone. He could hear Lana banging around in the kitchen, cleaning up. The main room could use picking up, too. He didn’t move.

At least, he didn’t move from his position on the couch.  He did slide his hand, where it had been resting on his knee again, over to cover Lex’s hand.  Butterflies zoomed around, careening into his insides, making it hard to swallow, but Clark didn't let go.  

“Clark?”

Clark kept his eyes on his hand covering Lex’s. “Yeah?”

“What are you... Do you know what you’re doing?”

Turning Lex’s hand over, Clark continued to stare at it as he started to trace the outline of the palm and each finger with one of his own fingers. “Not completely. I don’t want to stop, though. Do you want me to? Stop, that is?”

Clark could hear the deep breath Lex took, could hear his heart beat speed up. “You remember that I’m the one that set Nixon on you and your family, the one who continued to investigate you after I promised to stop?”

Licking his lips, Clark stopped tracing Lex’s fingers and instead laced their fingers together. “Yeah. And, I’m the one that stole your car last year and let your father take you to Belle Reve.”

Instead of tensing up more at Clark’s admissions, Clark could actually feel Lex relaxing. “Why tonight?”

Clark shrugged as he rubbed his thumb along the parts of Lex’s hand he could reach. “I like sitting close to you like this. We don’t do it very often, and the last time we did, I chickened out. I decided back then, that I’d be braver the next time.”

Feeling Lex nod, Clark still didn’t look back. “Clark, will you look at me please?”

Swallowing hard, Clark shook his head in the negative.

Disentangling his hand from Clark’s, Lex placed it on Clark’s shoulder instead and pulled gently. “Clark.”

Those butterflies felt like they were taking up permanent residence in his stomach, but Clark slowly let himself be guided around to look at his friend. He raised his eyes gradually, and his breath caught at the blazing intensity of the eyes staring back at him.

The hand Lex had on his shoulder slid up and cupped the back of his head. It was Clark’s turn to have his heart rate speed up. Clark allowed Lex to turn his head a little more, and felt his breathing speed up, too, at the thought of what he hoped was about to happen.

Lex leaned forward a little, but then stopped and stared at him. His eyes followed the path of Clark’s tongue as Clark flicked it out to moisten suddenly dry lips. “Tell me you don’t want this, Clark.”

Opening his mouth to respond, Clark was surprised when no sound came out. Instead, he shook his head again.

Leaning even closer, Lex exhaled and Clark shivered as the warm gust of air caressed his saliva slicked lips. “Tell me you do want it, then. Tell me something, Clark.”

Hands fluttering because he wanted to touch, but didn’t want to hurt, Clark finally let them fall back to his leg. The backs of his fingers just brushed against the outside of Lex’s thigh. He let out a trembling breath. “Lex, please.”

Lex’s hand tightened on the back of his head. “God, Clark. Please what? Please stop? Or, please--”

“Kiss me. Please, Lex.”

Letting out a tortured moan, Lex closed the scant distance between their mouths and pressed their lips together. His tongue slid into the opening that Clark eagerly made for him.

Losing himself in the softness of Lex’s lips, against his for the first time since the riverbank, Clark let out a small moan of his own. He could feel the small imperfection of the scar he’d long ago noticed on Lex’s upper lip. The raised surface of it rubbed against Clark’s own upper lip as Lex moved his mouth, and the intimacy of feeling it like this made Clark shiver and press closer.

Tentatively, Clark moved his tongue along Lex’s, stroking quickly at first, and then more languidly when Lex’s hand tightened against the back of his head again. Clark started in surprised pleasure when Lex sucked on his tongue, and then lightly scraped his teeth along the top of it.

Feeling Lex’s hand slide from the back of his head down to his cheek, Clark made a noise of regret when Lex started to pull away, but rubbed his cheek against the hand cupping it at the same time. He sighed Lex’s name out, unbidden.

Lex pressed their foreheads together, and Clark could feel Lex’s unsteady exhale against his skin. Lex nudged their lips together again, and bit down gently on Clark’s lower lip, then licked around his mouth, dipping his tongue on the underside of Clark’s lips and running it along his teeth.

Clark aborted his surge forward, when Lex pulled back again. “God, Clark! I don’t know if I can stop kissing you, now that I’ve had permission to start.”

“Who says you have t--” Clark’s question is interrupted by a crash in the kitchen, and Lex looked at him ruefully. “Oh. Yeah. Maybe we could...go back to your place?”

Sitting as close as they were, Clark could see the shudder work it’s way down Lex’s body, and Clark’s skin tingled in awareness of Lex’s desire. “Your parents...”

“You heard them, Lex. They told me right here that they were no longer giving me a curfew on non-school nights, and Dad said he’d do my chores in the morning so I can sleep in. I have hours left.” Watching Lex’s eyes dilate and hearing his breath hitch, Clark dared to move closer and press the backs of his fingers harder against Lex’s thigh. “Please, Lex. Let me come with you.”

Lex’s abrupt laugh sounded a little hysterical, and Clark blushed as he realized what he’d said and how it sounded. Lex stopped his attempt to stammer out a correction by brushing a kiss over his lips. “I’d love for you to join me at the mansion so we can kiss some more, Clark.”

Smiling at Lex in appreciation for his save, Clark stood up, and really looked at the main room for the first time. His face fell in dismay. “This place is a mess. I can’t leave Lana to clean it all up by herself.”

“Of course not, Clark. I completely understand. I’ll see you in the next day or two when you deliver the produce.”

Watching Lex compose his features and turn to walk away, Clark realized that Lex had misunderstood him. Taking a giant step forward, Clark wrapped his arms around Lex’s chest to hold him in place, and put his head on the other man’s shoulder. “I wasn’t trying to back out, Lex. The clean up won’t take that long. If you go out and start your car, I’ll join you in a minute or two.”

If Clark hadn’t been holding onto him, he’d swear that Lex had disappeared, because the man froze completely, at least for about five seconds. “A minute or two?”

Nodding, Clark tightened his grip before letting go. “I promise. No more than that.”

Pressing his lips lightly together, Lex nodded sharply once, and then left the coffeehouse.

Looking through the walls into the kitchen, Clark saw Lana still washing up some dishes. Slipping into high speed, Clark raced around to picked up all the trash, straighten furniture, wipe down tables, and mop the floor.

When he was satisfied with his job, Clark dashed outside to join Lex, who was just walking around to the driver’s side of his car. He saw Lex’s head jerked up when the bell on The Talon’s door jingled. A look of incredulity crossed his features, before softening into a pleased smile. “You’ve finished?”

“Yes.” A simple answer for a complicated thing. Clark didn’t regret it, though.

Lex’s smile grew. “That was pretty fast.”

Clark smiled back. “Super fast.”

Lex opened his door and looked over the top of his car at Clark. “Are you coming?”

Clark blushed again, and Lex laughed softly. “Yeah.”

Settling into the passenger side, Clark looked over at Lex as the other man closed his door and started them down the road. “Lex, may I nibble on your ear on the way back?”

The car swerved on the road, and Lex swore and quickly straightened it out. “Only if you want me to crash.”

“Alright. I’ll wait until we get to the mansion, then.” The car only bobbled a little at that, but Clark sat back with a smile on his face, partly because he was satisfied to have gotten a little of his own back.  Partly, because he was really looking forward to getting to the mansion.  Mostly, though, it was because he'd finally been brave enough to take the first step into something more with Lex.


End file.
